May 12, 2017

Frooti is my most favorite mango drink since childhood. I guess most of you are like me .On those days, for any small functions at home like birthday party or guest visits, Frooti bottle makes its presence without fail . My mom used to serve it as a welcome drink. Even though there are many soft drinks available in the market, the craze for this store bought mango drinks like Frooti, Maaza or Slice never goes away. But once my family had a bad experience after drinking Frooti in a tetra pack. It must be an old stock I guess. So we stopped buying it and started running miles away whenever I see it in functions or parties. I restrict Raksha & Sendhil too. Last week I bought few alphonso mangoes and a raw mango to try some interesting recipes with it. When I was browsing for it, I saw few homemade Frooti recipe. I never imagined Frooti making process at home would be so easy with very less ingredients and that too without any preservatives. What else I need to try this ! I became very happy and tried it immediately with an over ripen mango which I wanted to finish off.This juice came out yummilicious in taste. It tasted very close to Frooti, Maaza or any store bought mango drink. Sendhil & Raksha loved it and gave a big thumbs up.You can make this as concentrate, refrigerate & store it, add ice cold water to dilute it and drink chilled anytime.The best part is we didn’t get any stomach pain, loose stools, cold/throat infection or fever. As everyone says, Homemade is always the best !! Now I don’t have to buy the highly priced mango drink from shops anymore. I have tried this drink thrice so far with different mangoes and observed few points. To make a perfect homemade Frooti recipe, you must follow this. 1. Use only Alphonso mangoes.It works the best ! Taste differs for Badami, malgova or Banganapalli mangoes.2. Mango should be over ripen.Make sure it doesn’t have sour taste. You can clear off the over ripen ( about to decay) mangoes by making this drink.3. The ratio of ripe mango & Raw mango should be 2:1 based on the size of raw mango.Raw mango is just to give mild tanginess.4. Quantity of sugar differs as per the sweetness of mango.5. Color of the juice also varies based on the color of mango.
Now I can confidently prepare this mango juice for my guests. You too try this recipe in this summer vacation for your kids and family. I am sure your kids will sing “ Mango Frooti Fresh and Juicy” . Ok, Lets see how to make Homemade mango Frooti recipe with step by step pictures and a video !

April 9, 2017

Musk melon (Also known as Cantaloupe in English, Mulam pazham in Tamil, Kharbooja in Hindi, Thaikumbazham in Malayalam) is one of the best summer coolant fruits available across India during summer season. Muskmelon has lots of health benefits. It aids in weight loss, good for eye sight, treats kidney stones, boost immunity and many more. Many people love to eat this musk melon in fruit salad or eat it as such. But we love to have it as juice, milkshake or smoothie.Last year I had shared musk melon juice recipe. So this year, I thought of sharing this easy musk melon milkshake with you all. I used to make it adding sugar but now we have switched to honey as a healthy alternative. But today I have made this post with sugar. You can use either sugar,honey or cane sugar based on your taste. Similarly milkshake is usually prepared with ice cream. But I have just used milk to make it a low calorie drink.Add ice cream if you are making for kids. It adds richness & creaminess to the milkshake.Ok, now lets see how to make summer special musk melon milkshake recipe with step by step pictures and a video !

Take the musk melon and cut into two halves.Scoop out the seeds in the middle. Drain it in a filter. You can either discard the seeds or sun dry it to make dried melon seeds that can be used for making kheer and garnishing halwa/burfi.

Now scoop the pulpy part of the fruit and transfer it to a mixie jar. Grind it adding milk, sugar and vanilla essence.Add 2 scoops of ice cream if you like. It makes the milkshake much creamier. Grind it to become smooth, creamy and frothy. Transfer to a serving glass. Garnish with sprinklers or few small pieces of musk melon and serve immediately.

Enjoy !

Note

You can replace vanilla essence with cardamom powder if you like that flavor.

If you are making for kids, you can add 2 scoops of ice cream while grinding. It makes the milkshake more tasty.

You should not add ice cubes. Instead you can freeze the milk, crush and add it while grinding.

March 25, 2017

When we think about thirst quenchers for summer, the simple and the best coolant that strikes our mind is buttermilk. Its an awesome summer drink that provides lots of health benefits to our body. In South India, Tamil nadu we never fail to make neer mor during summer. Sendhil & Raksha likes to have spiced buttermilk instead of taking curd rice. But I love to eat creamy curd ricewithraw mango orbaby mango ( Vadu mangai) pickle. So I makeSouth Indian neer moralmost everyday in summer just for them. Recently I tasted this North Indian style spiced buttermilk (“Chaas/Masala Chaas” or masala taak in Hindi ) in a lunch buffet. As it was kept in a mud pot and served chilled, I loved it very much and had 3 servings even after having a tummy full lunch . I wanted to try this simple and yummy chaas at home for a change. I browsed for the recipe and tried at home. Roasted cumin seeds powder( Bhuna jeera powder) and black salt are the star ingredients of this basic plain chaas recipe apart from fresh yogurt/curd. To make a spicy masala chaas, green chilli, ginger, coriander leaves can also be used along with cumin powder and black salt. For variations, mint leaves/Pudina, hing and even black pepper powder can be used. A pinch of chaat masala can also be added for that extra punch. Ok, lets see how to make this North Indian special summer drink, Masala chaas recipe with step by step photos !
Check out my Summer Recipes in THIS LINK !

Masala chaas Recipe - North Indian Chaas recipe

How to make North Indian special summer drink - Masala chaas/ Chaas recipe

In a mixie jar, take the green chilli, washed coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder, black salt and curd.If you wish, u can add 1/2 inch ginger piece, 1/2tbsp mint leaves while grinding. Grind it to a smooth paste. If you don’t have mixie, use a whisk and beat well.

Transfer the ground paste to a bowl. Add 2.5 to 3 cups of ice cold water.Mix well. Check for taste and add more salt and cumin powder if needed. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle a pinch of cumin powder.

Serve immediately or refrigerate it till use and serve chilled. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of cumin powder and black salt as per taste.

Adjust the quantity of water based on the consistency and taste.

You can skip grinding coriander leaves ad use it just for garnishing

For variations, u can grind a small piece of ginger too.

You can also add a pinch of chaat masala at the end before serving.

Always serve it chilled to enjoy its best taste.

Try this easy, North Indian style masala chaas at home and enjoy after a heavy meal. It helps in quick digestion !

March 16, 2017

Jal Jeera / Jaljira is a healthy summer drink that is most popular in North India. In Hindi, Jal means water and Jeera means cumin seeds. This drink is prepared with special spice mix masala powder that is mixed with water or soda. Jal jeera spice powder is made of roasted cumin, pepper, mint leaves, black salt, ginger, amchoor powder and lemon juice. So it has lots of health benefits. Basically it helps to improve digestion and aids for weight loss too. I have tasted this jaljira several times in “The Village” restaurant and in some other hotels as well. Mostly it is served as an appetizer in restaurants whereas I like to have this drink after a heavy meal. I love this drink very much and I don’t mind drinking at any time or any season of the year. So I bought a packet of jaljeera powder from the shop and prepared this drink at home for the first time. We loved it very much. Then I started serving this to my guests as a welcome drink. Everybody liked it so much and asked me the recipe too. Even though I make it with store bought powder, I used to tell the ingredients roughly and ask them to buy this jal jeera powder from the market. Yesterday I was thinking to start summer recipes in my blog. The most refreshing summer drink jaljeera flashed in my mind. I tried it this morning by watching Sanjeev Kapoor’s YouTube video and made it from scratch. I altered the recipe slightly by looking at the ingredients list of store bought jaljira packet. It came out very well and tasty. Traditionally tamarind is used in jaljeera but have used lemon juice instead. So lets check how to make this refreshing, fresh, yummy, healthy, easy Indian drink for this summer – Jal jeera recipe with step by step pictures and a video. Do try it and enjoy !
Check out my other summer recipes in THIS LINK

Dry roast cumin seeds in a hot kadai for one minute. Do not burn the jeera. It tastes bitter and spoils the taste of jaljeera.

Take all the ingredients given in the list in a mixie jar. Add the roasted cumin seeds. Grind to a smooth paste adding required water. I used 1/2 cup water to grind it.

Transfer the ground paste to a bowl and wash the mixie jar with one cup of water. Add the washed water to the paste. Place another bowl, keep a metal strainer and filter the drink. Press it with a spoon to filter well and discard the residue.

Add 1.5 - 2 cups more water and mix well. Check for taste and add more salt, sugar or lemon juice if needed. If you need more cumin flavor, add 1/2 tsp readymade cumin powder if u have in hand.

To serve : Take a tall glass, add some crushed ice or ice cubes, top it with 2 tsp of kara boondhi and pour the jaljeera till the rim. sprinkle a pinch of cumin powder if u wish. Serve immediately. Refrigerate the remaining drink for later use. Stays fresh for 2-3 days in refrigerator.

Enjoy !

Note

You can add more black salt, amchoor powder , sugar and lemon juice at anytime after making the drink. Adjust them based on your taste.

Jaljeera tastes the best when its served chilled. So always use ice cold water for preparation or refrigerate it / add ice cubes while serving !

Never try this recipe without black salt and chat masala or amchoor powder.It adds a unique taste to this drink.

Try this easy drink at home and have it after or before a heavy meal. It helps to improve digestion and increases appetite !

April 12, 2016

Masala coke is a very popular Indian Cold drink in Juice shops of Bangalore and Mumbai.I have tasted masala coke in a small juice shop in Gandhi bazaar. You can find varieties like masala Pepsi, masala Sprite, masala Thumbs up, lemon soda,Lemon cola, lemon ginger soda, paneer soda etc in the menu. The recipe of masala coke is very simple & that is made with easily available ingredients.It can be quickly prepared in minutes by adding a lavish sprinkle of masala powders to Coke or Pepsi. When I saw the juice shop guy making it, I got tempted to try it at home. So I bought a can of diet coke & coco cola and tried it for myself and Sendhil. We enjoyed it thoroughly. It tastes more like jal jeera with the fizz of coke. If you are concerned about drinking Coke or Pepsi, you can make the same with soda water and enjoy it as masala soda.Make and Serve during parties and get together during this vacation.I am sure everyone will enjoy this drink. Lets see how to make masala coke at home.
Check out my other Summer Drinks Recipestoo !

February 20, 2016

I make juices & milk shakes with fruits very rarely as we love to eat whole fruits. Recently I had this Orange mocktail in a juice corner. Raksha & myself loved it a lot. She told me to pack it for her school morning break time.So I browsed for mocktail recipes without alcohol and found it from Sharmi’s blog. The combination of Orange juice and lemon juice was perfect. Raksha gave a big thumbs up after drinking it and she told me to make it very often too. I usually make Eggless Orange cake during this fruit season.I am happy that I got yet another interesting recipe using orange fruit. Lets see how to make this non–alcoholic cocktail recipe - Orange Mock tail at home easily.

Orange Mocktail recipe

Easy orange mocktail recipe - Non-alcoholic version.

Cuisine:Indian

Category:Drinks

Serves:Serves 1

Prep time:5 Minutes

Cook time: 2 Minutes

Total time: 7 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Orange - 2 nos

Lemon - 1/2 - 1 no ( adjust)

Sugar - 2-3 tbsp

Water - as needed

Soda water - optional

METHOD

Extract the juice from Oranges.Add lemon juice and mix well.Strain the juice and add required sugar and water.Mix well and check for taste.Add more sugar or water if needed. Serve immediately.

February 14, 2016

Basically i love to experiment different types of coffee at home.Long back i had tried and shared homemade Espresso coffee without machine.After that i tried to make Cappuccino at home but it was not upto the mark. My recent crush is to try Cold Coffee at home. I have not tasted cold coffee in Cafe Coffee Day(CCD).But i have heard a lot from my friends.So I got tempted to give a try on my own & thought Valentine’s day would be a good choice because Sendhil likes to have cold coffee more than our South Indian filter coffee. This morning i made it for the first time following this recipe. I have never thought its so easy to make at home. Its just a mix and blend of instant coffee powder,cocoa powder,milk and ice cubes. With a mild bitterness, it was awesome.Being a coffee lover,i enjoyed every sip thoroughly. I tried to decorate the glass with hershey choco syrup.But it wasn't perfect :( Cold coffee can be made with & without ice cream.Today i made it without icecream and used Bru instant coffee powder.But I read using Nescafe and ice cream makes it tastier,creamy and rich like Cafe Coffee Day.So try to use them if you have in hand.Soon i must try Frappe,mocha and other variants of coffee.Ok,now lets see how to make cold coffee recipe at home.Try it for your loved ones on this Valentine’s day. Enjoy one coffee with two straw .

Cold coffee recipe without ice cream

How to make cold coffee without ice cream at home

Cuisine:Indian

Category:Beverages

Serves:Serves 2

Prep time:5 Minutes

Cook time:5 Minutes

Total time:10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 200ml

Instant coffee powder - 2 tbsp ( I used Bru,Nescafe would be better)

Unsweetened cocoa powder - 1/2 tbsp

Water – 3 tbsp

Sugar - 3-4 tbsp

Boiled milk - 2 cups ( use full fat milk for best taste)

Ice cream - 1 scoop ( optional, Vanilla or chocolate)

Ice cubes - few ( I used 3 nos)

METHOD

Heat 3 tbsp of water in a pan and mix coffee powder,cocoa powder along with sugar.Boil the mixture in slow flame till sugar dissolves completely.Keep stirring.Mixture will becomes a thick solution. Switch off the flame and let it cool.

Take a big mixie jar and add 2 cups of milk ( Preferrably boiled milk at room temperature or chilled), 3 tbsp of coffee solution,ice cubes and blend well for few seconds till the coffee becomes frothy.( Store the remaining coffee solution in a refrigerator and use it the next day itself) Check for taste and add more coffee solution,sugar as per your taste.

Transfer it to a glass along with froth and serve it with a scoop of icecream on top.If you are not using ice cream,just decorate it with a sprinkle of coffee powder or cocoa powder.You can also add colorful sprinklers or even choco chips.

Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your taste.

Add more cocoa powder if you like chocolate flavor in your coffee.

Full fat milk gives more creamy,frothy coffee.But i used low fat milk here.

Store the remaining coffee solution in refrigerator and use it the next day.Do not keep it for long.